Decem
by wilfred the pickle
Summary: Ten short oneshots/drabbles, each inspired by a song. { narumitsu, both slash and friendship...and a little bit of nightmare fuel. }


**I decided to attempt the ten music drabbles challenge, and I'm…well, I realised I have a lot of dark/trippy/unsuitable to write a fanfic to/weird songs on my iPod. Time for my annual iPod spring cleaning.**

**Enjoy!**

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_one ;; disasterology _ pierce the veil_

It was something Edgeworth had never really understood himself. Maybe he just enjoyed the rush of power that came in the brief moment where that other person realized all their efforts had been for nothing. Maybe it was the satisfaction of the metaphorical 'kill' that did it for him. Maybe he just liked seeing others heartbroken. Whatever the case, it had become a kind of…_addiction _for him. The only relationships he pursued with others now were for the sole purpose of destroying them and watching the other person tremble in the emotional aftermath.

It wasn't any different as he sat down opposite Phoenix in the retro café and told him the reason he'd chosen from his vast stock he'd created over the years.

Edgeworth never felt the need to sugarcoat the words he said to them, male or female. Phoenix _is no exception,_ he thought, entertained by the various expressions passing through the defense attorney's face. He could count shock, disbelief, hurt, pain…and most of all - the one he lived for - betrayal.

"But...why?" Phoenix said weakly, frowning. _He really does look too pale_, Edgeworth thought.

"I told you why," he replied harshly, standing up to leave. "I don't have to explain in any more detail. You're not my problem anymore," he added, feeling satisfied as he watched the immense hurt display itself on his - _former _- friend's face.

Edgeworth smiled as he walked through the doors. I really am screwed up.

_two ;; newsong _ tacica_

_Nine-year-old Miles Edgeworth was profoundly less cynical and jaded than his twenty-four-year-old future self, _Edgeworth mused. He gazed thoughtfully at the photo of him, Phoenix and Larry striking a pose for the camera - in his case that simply meant smiling and trying not to flinch at the close physical contact with the other two - and was reminded that his nine-year-old self was a lot more caring and mindful of others. Frankly, his current self sometimes scared him with his lack of understanding and care for other people, be they friends or strangers.

Edgeworth sighed and glanced down at the newspaper and glanced briefly at the daily 'personality poll'. He'd found it a couple of years ago and dismissed it as garbage, mindless drivel that would only fool the most brain-dead of people. Surprisingly, he found his interest slightly piqued when he looked at the daily topic; _how do _you_ react to the tragedies reported in the news and media?_

Nine-year-old Miles Edgeworth would have written a five-page essay on the importance of helping those in need, caring for others, sharing the earth - basically all the concepts Edgeworth had been forced to give up faith in as he grew older. Now, he felt like he couldn't even care less.

He glanced down at the quote at the bottom of the page, the tiny newsprint forcing him to lean down and squint. _Having friends make us stronger._

Edgeworth laughed bitterly. Maybe that had been the problem all this time.

_three ;; supermassive black hole _ muse_

Edgeworth had always known it would turn out this way. He was pretty much the biggest celebrity of the law community in Los Angeles; the paparazzi seemed to relish every opportunity to invade his space and try and ask questions about his personal life.

"This is why I don't go out much," Edgeworth panted to Phoenix, the lack of light and the cramped space of the janitor's closet making it hard to see his friend's face.

"In hindsight, there was probably a better option than running to hide in a closet," the attorney joked weakly, and Edgeworth laughed politely. They both knew they hated the situation.

"Well." Edgeworth bit his lip. "Shall we brave the crowd?"

"I don't think they're going to give us any free time," Phoenix whispered, peering out the small window out into the corridor. "Aren't there more important things to be worrying about, rather than focusing on two lawyers trying to enjoy some quality time with each other?"

"An entire country could be swallowed into the sea and all they would care about is where we ate for lunch," Edgeworth sighed, hanging his head. "I suppose we'll have to stay in here for a few more minutes."

"Or hours."

"I hate to admit it, but…probably."

_four ;; death shall not have taken thee! _ jesusp_

"I don't get it. What just happened?"

Phoenix glanced over at Edgeworth's screen and smiled slightly. "You just died, moron," he snickered, reaching over and taking the mouse out of his friend's hand. "It says up there game over. What did you think had happened, they just gave up and surrendered?"

"Maybe," Edgeworth said defensively, grabbing the mouse back. "Video games aren't really my forte. I don't have enough of a willing suspension of disbelief."

"That's your problem! You don't have faith in yourself."

"Ordinarily, I would, but these are video games. Not court," Edgeworth added, fiddling uselessly with the mouse. "Where the hell is the restart button?"

"Right in front of you, genius." Phoenix pointed to a large red button in the center of the screen. Edgeworth flushed a similar colour and clicked on it quickly, cursing as he found himself at the very start of the level.

"I have to start from the very beginning?!" he gasped, fighting the urge to hurl the laptop across the room. "This is bull-"

_five ;; invisible _ kemu_

Phoenix had been avoiding him. It was that simple, really. It hadn't taken Edgeworth that long to figure it out, but it _had_ taken him time to work up the courage to confront the attorney. Now, he'd finally had enough of his childhood friend's passive-aggressive nature and taken the time to drive all the way to the other man's house to speak to him. Or try and speak to him. Edgeworth wasn't even sure if Phoenix would accept his apology to whatever he'd done to make the other man so angry.

Angry wasn't even the right word, Edgeworth realized slowly. The man had been flat-out ignoring him recently, like he wasn't even there. The silent treatment had even begun to spread to some of Phoenix's friends; Maya, Gumshoe and even _Pearl _hadn't even thrown a glance his way for two days now. He'd actually heard Maya comment to Gumshoe that she "hadn't seen Edgeworth around for a while" earlier that morning. Edgeworth had definitely made an effort to talk to Gumshoe at least, but the older man had simply shrugged and responded with a _I dunno, pal, neither have I! _

It wasn't until he passed his mirror and saw his reflection - or rather, lack of reflection - that everything clicked into place.

_six ;; beautiful liar _ beyonce & shakira_

_Well, this is certainly an unexpected plot twist in the metaphorical novel of life_, thought Phoenix as he watched his boyfriend practically _humping_ Edgeworth. Who was apparently enjoying this little display of extremely public affection, blushing madly and smiling a little despite the embarrassment. It was then they both seemed to realise just who was standing there in the milling crowd around them, watching them, and they both straightened up with a shameful little cough.

"Alex!" Phoenix grinned with what Maya liked to call the man-eating shark grin. "Edgeworth. Mind if I ask what the hell is going on here?"

"Phoenix…" Alex breathed, eyes bugging out like he couldn't believe it was really his - **other, **he reminded himself - boyfriend standing there in front of him. Edgeworth didn't quite seem to get it.

"Oh…Wright, we were just-" he stammered uncharacteristically, cheeks still glowing from the embarrassment.

"I know what you were doing," Phoenix cut him off smoothly before turning back to Alex. "Mind explaining to me why the man I _thought_ was my boyfriend was grinding against one of my best friends, who apparently has no idea that you were cheating on us both?"

Phoenix would never forget the look on Alex's face as he paused, opened his mouth, closed it, and then ran like the dickens away from the two of them.

_seven ;; coward montblanc _ deco*27_

_Relationships have never been my thing. I mean, I don't like getting romantically involved with people I don't already know extremely well, and I can barely even make friends without scaring them off. But I always felt so safe with you…I'd known you for so long, and even though we hadn't seen each other for fifteen years, the connection lingered. We just had to rummage around a little before we found it again. At first, everything was great, but now…_

_Now I wonder how I thought this could ever work in the first place._

_You don't love me anymore. You want to break up with me, but you're afraid of hurting me. It's nice to know that you care just a little, but I know deep down in your heart, you'd cast me aside the first chance you'd get. And knowing that…knowing that just kills me. I'd rather end it now, instead of dragging it out all this time. But…I find that every time I try, the words end up dying in my throat and I just can't say them. That's why I decided to do this, and why I'm writing this note. As soon as I'm finished, I'm going to find the highest building there is and find out whether I'm really as cowardly as my heart is telling me._

_I'm sorry._

_eight ;; outer science _ jin_

"You don't have to do this." Phoenix can barely speak around his swollen, split lips and the blood crusting around his tongue.

"Why shouldn't I?" Mocking. Challenging. Nothing like the Edgeworth Phoenix knows. _Knew, _he thinks bitterly.

"I'm your friend," Phoenix tries desperately, but is rewarded with only a sharp slap to the cheek.

"Where were you when I needed you the most, huh?" he challenges him, pressing the barrel of his gun against Phoenix's forehead. "Not helping me. Not even _noticing_ anything was wrong." As suddenly as he had brought it out, he puts the gun away, holstering it on his belt. "I've got a fantastic idea."

"What?" Phoenix chokes, breath catching in his throat.

"I'm going to keep you here forever," Edgeworth says, his eyes gleaming. He leans in closer to Phoenix's face, grinning an unsettling, twisted smile. "You'll never leave. Won't that be wonderful?"

_nine ;; hello/how are you? _ hoehoep_

"I'm not good at this," Edgeworth murmured, lifting Phoenix's hand gently from his shoulder and placing it back on the other man's leg.

The attorney frowned. "What?" he asked, leaving his hand on his thigh.

"Touching. Being close to people." Edgeworth paused. "Interacting with certain people on a regular basis."

"It's called friendship," Phoenix explained in a patient tone that made Edgeworth feel more like a child than his friend's equal. "It's an integral part of life, Edgeworth. You don't get to just _skip out _parts of life."

"I'm not trying to _skip out _parts of life," Edgeworth protested, "I just want to avoid both people involved unnecessary trouble."

"Do you really think you're so inept at interacting with others that you're too scared to even try?" Phoenix asked him quietly, his hand inching back toward Edgeworth's shoulder. This time, he let his willingness to let Phoenix touch him serve as an answer, and kept his mouth tightly shut.

The evidence was airtight, after all.

_ten ;; playing god _ paramore_

They'd been fighting again. It had started out as innocuous, slightly snide remarks on either side; Edgeworth didn't really know who'd started it. It didn't really matter - it was _both_ their faults for letting it spiral into the huge mess it had eventually become.

He recalled the words Phoenix had said to him right before he'd left, bags packed and all. _You know, maybe you should look in a mirror anytime you accuse me of something,_ the attorney had all but screamed at him, storming out the door and slamming it so heard Edgeworth swore one of the hinges had broken. Edgeworth hadn't realized how hypocritical he was being until the attorney had flung it back in his face. Of course he hadn't. He was too much of an arrogant prick to notice his flaws when it really mattered.

He sat down on the couch they had once shared to happily together, his head resting in his hands.

_How am I ever supposed to fix this?_

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**Wow, most of those were….really depressing. I'm sorry I don't have many happy songs on my iPod.**

**So, good? Bad? Never write a fanfic again, wilfred? Leave a review telling me what you thought and I'll love you forever! I'm also looking for prompts for oneshots - narumitsu mostly, but I really want to get back into the writing groove, so send me any prompts you may have along with feedback, if you'd like.**

**Thank you for reading!**


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